Make-A-Wish: what the foundation does

It is possible to reminisce about the joy of a good childhood even if yours wasn’t perfect. Children are challenging for a variety of reasons, even if you weren’t fortunate enough to have a great childhood. Even if your childhood wasn’t perfect, you most likely remember happier times and smile. The advantages of being a child, particularly those associated with a happy childhood, are numerous. It is no small feat to go from being a pre-schooler to a teenager in such a brief period of time. There are so many changes taking place at once, both physically and mentally, that it can be difficult for anybody, let alone a child undergoing these alterations for the first time. Fortunately, children who have struggled with a number of troublesome circumstances have the Make-A-Wish Foundation, a nonprofit children’s wish fund that provides these children with a little extra something special to assist them in their hard times.

About the foundation

The Make-A-Wish Foundation is a non-profit organisation that grants wishes to children with terminal medical conditions. Since its foundation in 1980 by two parents whose child died of a terminal illness, the Make-A-Wish Foundation has provided assistance to millions of children throughout the United States and 17 other nations. Since its establishment in 1980, the Make-A-Wish Foundation has granted over 348,000 wishes in the United States alone. To be eligible for a wish, the child must be between two and 18 years old and have a life-threatening medical condition that a doctor can diagnose. In addition, the Make-A-Wish Foundation has certain guidelines to determine which patients are in greatest need of a wish. The doctor may not offer certain patients the Make-A-Wish Foundation’s services depending on their health situation.

History

The Make-A-Wish Foundation was founded in 1980 by Sam and Norma Wishes of Phoenix, Arizona, in response to the suggestion of a nurse that a child with leukemia be given an opportunity to make a wish. When his request to sit in the Arizona State University football team’s VIP box was fulfilled, the child’s will to live was strengthened, boosting his health, and he recovered. After this experience, the Wishes began thinking about how they might help other children to experience the same kind of joy. They discussed the concept with a friend who was a lawyer, who said, “You don’t want to ask for a doll; you want to make a wish come true. This is how the organization got its name.” Learn about how the donation process works at the Make-A-Wish-Foundation website.